Fouls hold back Rebels’ center

Steve Guiremand

Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2004 | 9:21 a.m.

For UNLV senior center J.K. Edwards, it wasn't a bad day's work.

Try this line on for size: 22 points, 15 rebounds, 2 blocks and 2 steals in 43 minutes of action.

Problem is, those numbers are Edwards' totals for two conference games.

Because of persistent foul problems, Edwards, a 6-foot-8, 250-pounder, has fouled out of both of UNLV's first two games and is averaging just a tad more than a half (21.5 minutes) of action.

The Rebels (9-5, 0-2) definitely need to find a way to keep their starting center on the floor a whole lot longer for this weekend's key Front Range trip to Wyoming (8-8, 1-2) and defending MWC tournament champion Colorado State (8-8, 0-3).

With the return this week of 6-foot-11 reserve Ryan Wildenborg from a knee injury to go along with 7-foot junior Alex Dunn, 6-foot-9 shot blocker Mory Correa and 6-foot-8 senior Joe Ries, Wyoming has one the biggest and deepest front lines in the MWC.

And Colorado State, which plays host to the Rebels Monday night, has 7-foot junior Matt Nelson, the MWC's preseason player of the year, as well as well as highly touted 6-foot-10 freshman standout Stephen Verwers.

"That's a concern," UNLV coach Charlie Spoonhour admitted when asked about Edwards' foul woes. "It wasn't conditioning that got him out of those last two games. It was foul trouble. He's gotten two fouls for illegal screens and the calls were absolutely 100-percent correct. That's just moving a screen, getting a little tired and careless, and that's what happens to you."

"I've got to stay out of foul trouble because its killing us," Edwards agreed. "It's like I get off to a good start and then I start to slack off and I start picking up fouls. Then I'm sitting a lot. I need to stay more in the flow of the game and play more."

Edwards had to miss UNLV's first six games of the season as part of the NCAA's mandated punishment for his role in the school's Phonegate probe. But he says that he has worked out the rust by playing in the past eight games.

"I feel I'm in midseason form now," he said. "I just have to stay on the court and stop making so many silly fouls."

Despite playing just 19 minutes in Saturday's 83-78 loss at San Diego State, Edwards nearly had a double-double. He finished with eight points and eight rebounds.

"He was on his way to heckuva game," Spoonhour said. "That's something that he has to realize and we need to emphasize a little bit more, too."

"He was going through a screen and just got hit," Spoonhour said. "He had a knot on the shoulder (Monday). He tried to keep playing but couldn't do it."

Hannan, a 6-foot-6 transfer from Minneapolis Community and Techincal College with a high, arching jump shot, was beginning to work his way into more playing time before the injury.

"That kind of happened to him once before this season," Spoonhour said. "He was just starting to get into the rotation when he got sick and that set him back. Now this.

"It's pretty painful. I'm hopeful we'll have him back by the weekend."